The Heart of Man
by Eregnar
Summary: A selection of drabbles based emotions in the Clone Wars series. Chapter 14 features Ahsoka, Steela, and Clones (including Rex and Tup).
1. Chapter 1

**The Heart of Man**

100 Drabbles on Emotion, set in the Clone Wars.

Author's Note: I am doing a writing challenge put forth by my sister (Lt. Basil. You can find a link to her page under my favorite authors. She's working on the same challenge for Kingdom Hearts). Over the next few months I will attempt to write at least one drabble a day based on an emotion from a list she created. Each group of five I complete will be posted as a chapter. The drabbles are not necessarily connected, and are not in chronological order, but will all be somehow linked to the Clone Wars TV series. If you wish to attempt this challenge, I will post each of the prompts at the beginning of the chapter, and you can copy-paste. You are welcome to change any prompts that you find repetitive, boring, or uncomfortable if you wish. I will also post any warnings I feel are necessary at the beginning of the chapter. I believe my writing is mild enough to be listed as K plus, but if you disagree, please let me know and I will change the rating to T.

1. Happiness 2. Spite 3. Joy 4. Grief. 5. Lust

Warnings: 2 is kind of gross, 4 slightly depressing, and 5 a bit creepy (but not sexual).

**Happiness**

Cheers erupted from the mass of troopers as Fives took a bolo ball to the face. The hapless clone who had thrown the ball paled and bolted in the opposite direction, the ARC hot on his heals. The spectators doubled over with laughter as Fives caught his quarry in a flying tackle and noogied him mercilessly. Said trooper burst out laughing too as he struggled and cried for mercy. Fives finally relented, helping his brother up and giving him a friendly slap on the back. A taunting call of "awwww…" split the air, Fives whirled, and the chase began anew.

**Spite**

Trap's nostrils flared as he neared his post, a tray balanced in his hands. Food was too good for that traitor, that beast who had endangered brothers to help the enemy. Trap spat in the mug, satisfied by the glob of mucus floating in the water. He opened Slick's cell while his fellow guards held their weapons ready. He set down the tray, deliberately tipping the ration bar onto the floor. Too bad the cleaning droids kept the cells spotless… Slick made no eye contact as he started eating.

"Enjoy, scum," Trap sneered, taking his place by the door again.

**Joy**

Sometimes Younglings were an inspiration. In the past few days they had faced certain death several times over, and yet here they were, all smiles. As Ahsoka watched them gallivant about, mercilessly teasing the pirates who had once been their enemies, she wondered if she'd ever been so full of life.

"Quite the show, eh?" Hondo threw an arm 'round Ahsoka's shoulders, his voice soft. "I don't think I've ever seen my men behaving like such imbeciles." He paused and glanced at Ahsoka. "It makes me… glad."

Ahsoka glanced up at the hardened pirate in surprise, then smiled. "Me too."

**Grief**

Obi-Wan was a Jedi. He was supposed to be above emotions like this, but however he tried he couldn't stop the empty feeling in his heart.

He ran his fingers over the holo of Satine's face. So many memories were caught up in those eyes: all the times they'd saved each other, their first kiss…

And now she was gone along with her dreams. Mandalore had fallen back into the control of killers. Sidious had his pet Dathomirian once more. Obi-Wan knew it wasn't the Jedi way, but at times like these he was sorely tempted to give up hope.

**Lust**

A cold smile crossed Palpatine's lips as the door shut behind Anakin. The boy was so strong in the force that the Chancellor could taste it. And his natural temperament was attuned to the Dark Side. It would only take a few carefully placed nudges to turn him: a dead friend here, a conflict there, perhaps some large failure to push him over the edge. Palpatine turned his thoughts to the student. She would have to fall, to bring her master down with her. He licked his lips in anticipation. Soon the boy, and the galaxy, would belong to him.

End note: Spell check tried to grammar correct "clone who" to "clone that." *grumble grumble*


	2. Chapter 2

6. Hatred 7. Terror 8. Confusion 9. Amusement 10. Frustration

Warnings: 6 and 7 are a bit dark. The rest are pretty light-hearted. 10 hints at Anakin and Padme having a… romantic evening. But it could just as easily be pizza and a movie. That's up to interpretation.

**Hatred**

_Revenge. I must have my Revenge._ That thought had been Maul's only string of sanity for a decade. Now he was sane, incredibly so, but the need for vengeance remained: not only against Kenobi, but all the Jedi, and the master who had cast him aside for another without a thought. But Kenobi would make a good start. Maul wouldn't kill him, no. He'd cut him in two, just as he had been cut in two, and leave him to suffer before finishing the job as painfully as possible. Maul smiled savagely. It's true what they say: Revenge _is_ sweet.

**Terror**

Five-year-old CT-17-4531's heart leapt into his mouth when a piercing scream came in over his comm. He scanned the names on his HUD and his heart dropped back down into his toes. CT-15-1212, his best brother, was flashing wounded. 31 desperately searched the mock battlefield while live blaster fire blazed overhead. He finally found his friend and started tugging him to shelter, ignoring the screamed orders from his sergeant. Just as he had secured 12, a stray bolt hit him between the shoulders, dropping him like a stone. He sobbed like the child he was as the world went black.

**Confusion**

"Don't call me sir," the Jedi had said. "Don't even call me General. Use my name." Of course, Jedi. It's not like that's completely against every regulation. It's not like I could be demoted for insubordination by any of the other officers if I deign to use anything but your proper title. It's not like if I'm ever transferred I won't find myself with an excessively formal general who'd kick my shebs back to Kamino for the breach in protocol. Still, Jedi were to be obeyed without question.

Private Scott rubbed his temples in frustration. "I need a kriffing drink."

**Amusement**

R2-D2 couldn't believe his luck. He was on a mission with Threepio _and_ Commander Wolffe (not the best combination of personalities in the galaxy) on a planet full of Aleena. The opportunities for hilarity were unlimited. R2 made up his mind to watch Wolffe's face. He didn't disappoint. The Aleena leader had embraced Threepio on their meeting, making Commander Wolffe turn slightly green and pull a terrific grimace, no doubt fearing King Manchucho would extend him the same courtesy. As the king babbled his welcome, Wolffe looked comically lost. R2's circuits thrummed happily. He was in for an entertaining visit.

**Frustration**

Anakin wrapped Padme in his arms and kissed her. "I'll see you in ten minutes."

That was half an hour ago. Apparently the galaxy couldn't go five minutes without crying for The Chosen One.

"Master, could you read my mission report before I turn it in?"

"General, I need you to go over the squad assignments."

Anakin was ready to tell the next caller to take a long walk out a short airlock.

"Jedi Skywalker. Your turn to teach the younglings, it is."

Grumble.

Anakin _finally_ made it home.

"Hi Ani, it's Padme. My meeting's running late. Rain Check?"

"…Ani?"

End Note: Don't worry! 31 and 12 both survive! They're OC's from a story I'm working on that may or may not ever see the light of day. It deals with some personal things, and I'm afraid my main character may be a bit too close to a self-insert. We'll see… And I couldn't resist with "Confusion." So many stories I've read have OC Jedi asking clones to not use their titles. I imagine it's rather unnerving for the clones, since they _were_ born and raised in the army.

Also, for those who may not know, shebs = backside and kriffing is more or less equivalent to fricking.

Until Next time,

Eregnar


	3. Chapter 3

11. Despair 12. Arrogance 13. Satisfaction 14. Lonliness 15. Nervousness

Warnings: 11 is depressing and contains some mild language. 12 has some torture, but it's really nothing. It's from an episode, and it's much more understated even then it was on TV. 14 is sad.

**Despair**

The Vision had shaken Anakin deeply. The Son's touch had allowed him a glimpse into his own future: a future full of pain and death that he caused. His wife, his best friend, countless children, entire planets – all would die at his hand. He understood now that there was no stopping the evil inside him. No matter how he fought towards the light, darkness would consume him. But maybe… if he took The Son's offer… if he met the darkness on his own terms he could mitigate the damage. Perhaps by damning himself, he could save those who mattered most.

**Arrogance**

Empty headed? Worthless? Really. There was no need to be insulting. Threepio was a protocol droid: something these oafs were obviously too dense to comprehend. He could give them nearly infinite information on language, culture, proper etiquette: things which they were sorely lacking.

Threepio cried out as another wave of electricity coursed through him. It simply wasn't fair! Keeping track of building plans was for lowly construction droids and astromechs. Such information would just clog up his valuable memory space. Perhaps he would tell them as much. At the very least it might bring this dratted interrogation to an end.

**Satisfaction**

Sweat coursed down Teneil's face. It seemed like this practice duel had gone on for hours. Usually by now her master would have taken her down and begun lecturing her sharply on her deficiencies. Finally it was too much. Without permission from her mind, her body slumped to the floor, beaten. Master Krell held one saber to the back of her neck momentarily, checked his chrono, and smiled.

"Well done," he said, pulling her up and passing her an electrolyte solution to rehydrate. She accepted it, her face unable to hide her triumphant grin. She could have danced.

_Well done._

**Loneliness**

The particle shield activated, sealing Ahsoka in her cell. She'd have no visitors this time. Not after her escape. She'd never felt so alone. Although, technically she wasn't alone. There were two guards at her door. But they thought her a murderer, a terrorist and a clone killer. Everyone did. And tomorrow she'd have her trial, be found guilty, and be executed. What she wouldn't give to see her master, Master Obi-Wan, Master Plo, Senator Amidala, Rex or Barriss first. She had so many friends, but there was nothing they could do for her now. She was going to die.

**Nervousness**

Rex was completely calm. He wasn't a shiny, after all. He'd been in service since slightly after Geonosis. He checked his armor again. Was that a smudge? Couldn't be anything less than perfect for meeting his C.O. He'd never met a Jedi before. He'd heard rumors, of course, and he had his flash training, but actually meeting one… This Jedi was newly minted, too, and apparently was already legendary. He'd fought Dooku's witch to a standstill, they said. And now Rex would be his second in command. He was glad Cody would be there. Even though he _was_ completely calm.

Author's Note: I finally realized why Trap's name in my first set of drabbles was niggling me. I pulled it out of the air, but felt like I'd heard it before, and sure enough! He's the clone Barriss kills in "Brain Invaders." My Trap wasn't necessarily supposed to be that one. You can decide for yourselves which he is, OC or canon. Also you met some of my OC clones… Well 13 features an OC Jedi.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Well, it's been a bit longer this time. I had some writer's block, and holidays are always a bit hectic with my family, so it took me some time to pump these ones out. Also I read two Clone Wars novels since my last update. I'm not obsessed, really. :)

16. Love 17. Rage 18. Curiosity 19. Awe 20. Disbelief

Warnings: 16 has a reference to euthanasia and mild swearing, 17 features a violently ticked-off Anakin, and 18 lists some injuries in mild detail.

**Love (Double Drabble)**

66 was crying again. Not sobbing, thank goodness. A few beatings at the hands of the other boys had cured him of that. But to his best brother, the uneven breathing and repressed sniffles were unmistakable.

32 peered around the edge of the crate 66 was hiding behind. "Don't you think there's enough salt water around here without adding to it?" 66 looked up at him but didn't smile. 32 rolled his eyes and crouched down to join his friend. There'd be hell to pay with the training sergeant later for skipping out. Oh well. Not like he wasn't used to that.

"What's wrong? 86 hit you again?"

66 shook his head. "17's gone."

"Who?"

"He's in the row across from us. Third from the top. He wasn't in his bunk last night, so I talked to 41, and he said…" 66 swallowed hard. "He said they took him to the lab."

32's face turned grave. He scooted closer to 66 and put an arm around him. 66 buried his face into 32's shirt, crying like only 66 could. 32 held on tightly, lending him his strength. They were brothers, after all. Brothers had each other's backs no matter what.

**Rage**

Ventress. The witch had caused him so much pain. While he was still a Padawan, she had taken out a whole squad of troopers Obi-Wan had sent to protect him. She'd repeated her slaughter again on Teth at a much larger scale. Torrent Company had been decimated. She was responsible for the creation of that monster Savage, who had taken the lives of thousands of innocents. And now she had _dared_ touch his Padawan, bombing the temple and letting her take the blame. Anakin felt no remorse as he flexed the fingers around her skinny neck and began to squeeze…

**Curiosity**

Captain Korbel found himself automatically cataloguing General Kenobi's injuries as he and Duhk helped him gently onto Senator Amidala's Yacht: severe dehydration and malnutrition, shattered patella, multiple lacerations and hematomas of varying severity all over his body, third degree lightsaber burn on his thigh – kriff – those were nasty wounds for a trip to a planet that was confirmed uninhabited. Korbel was tempted to ask what had happened, but he was a medic, and understood the need to respect others' privacy. If it didn't help him cure his patient, it wasn't any of his business. Still, he couldn't help but wonder…

**Awe**

Corporal Brenn shivered as he gazed up at the towering spires of the Jedi temple. The place was as enormous as it was beautiful, and he always felt humbled at the sight. That building was the spot where his generals lived, learned and thought their lofty Jedi thoughts. It was his secret wish that one day he would be able to see the inside: to interact with the Jedi in their own haven. Brenn's chrono beeped. It was time to head home. He had early duty tomorrow. With a sigh, he began his trek back to the 501st's Coruscant barracks.

**Disbelief**

Representative Binks certainly had… interesting ideas on how to create a distraction. King Katunko stared as the Gungan stacked dishware, unceremoniously dropping the carefully prepared feast on the tabletop and blabbering about his "conceptual work of art." Katunko surreptitiously got his attention at one point, gesturing at the aid ship that was now dangerously visible. Binks responded by bodily blocking the ship like a teenager trying to prevent a parent from entering his room. If anyone else had done that, it would have aroused suspicion. Katunko shook his head. He couldn't decide whether the senator was insane… or a genius.

End Note: 66 and 32 are once again OC's of mine. They're from a different fanfic that may never leave the ground… Oh, and once in a while my ideas get a little long for a drabble, and instead of torturing myself by cutting out over half the content, I make it a double-drabble (200 words) instead. It may be cheating, but I don't care :p. Captain Korbel is a blink-and-you'll-miss-him character from Karen Miller's _Clone Wars: Wild Space _novel. I rather liked him. He came across as gentler and more laid-back than your average trooper, and was a good match for Padme's personality (not too pushy). And hematomas are bruises :) It's nice to have a nurse in the family when you're writing a medic. And if I could get you guys' opinions: the next chapter is going to feature a drabble that touches on suicide. It won't get too messy, but I'd like to know if I should still bump the rating up to T, or if the warnings I put at the beginning are enough.


	5. Chapter 5

21. Depression 22. Pride 23. Jealousy 24. Offense 25. Passion

Warnings: 21 trigger warning for mentions of suicide

**Depression**

Skippy crouched in a storage closet, his deece balanced in his hands. A few simple movements and it would be over. No more marching for a corrupt system that sends children to fight its battles. No more following orders from officers who have their positions by virtue of birth rather than merit. No more watching brothers die in agony. He had wedged the gun into his open mouth when an alarm sounded. He sighed, replaced his gun in its holster, put on a rakish grin and casually opened the closet door. Dying could wait. He had ungrateful wretches to protect.

**Pride**

Master Huyang's faceplate wasn't designed for emotional displays, but inside he was smiling. This trip always warmed his circuits. A young Jedi's first right of passage: constructing his lightsaber. His joy was tempered by the loss of Padawan Tano to Hondo's pirates, but Huyang trusted The Force. He felt she had work to do before the galaxy let her go. And theses younglings had acquitted themselves well against the pirates: following Ahsoka's orders without hesitating and devising a plan to neutralize the pirates between them and safety. Surely theses children would grow up to be a credit to the order.

**Jealousy**

Anakin paced outside Padme's transport, slightly uncomfortable in his pilot's getup. He had nothing to worry about. Padme was as committed as he was. Still, the way Clovis looked at her made his blood boil. And she looked back. It was necessary for her cover, but she _had_ been involved with him once upon a time. Feelings like that didn't just vanish. Anakin shook his head. He was being silly. It was Clovis he needed to keep an eye on. A Separatist like him couldn't be trusted. Especially not when it came to keeping his paws off of Anakin's wife.

**Offense**

The Talz had met the outsiders offering friendship, only asking that the trespassers leave their planet in peace. They had been promised a mutually beneficial settlement. But now, when Thi-Sen met the off-worlder leader, this Chairman Cho, he needed no translator to know that their terms wouldn't be heard. The chairman looked down his nose at them, speaking as if they were beasts. He demanded sovereignty for his absent people. Thi-Sen would not budge. This land had belonged to his ancestors, and it would belong to his grandchildren. He would not succumb to this alien's demands. Not without a fight.

**Passion**

Jesse suppressed a grimace as the needle broke the skin on his cheek. He could handle it, because he wanted his tattoo to be as visible as possible. He wanted to shout from orbit that he was fighting for The Republic. That he risked death every day to defend the freedom and stability the galaxy needed. That he would sell his life without reservation to save the people she sheltered. The Republic symbol that would soon adorn his face mirrored the one already emblazoned on his heart. A little discomfort was the least he could endure for such an honor.

Author's Note: One quarter done! 21. Skippy's an OC from the same half-formed story as 31 and 12. Again, please tell me if you think my depression drabble necessitates an elevation to a "T" rating.


	6. Chapter 6

26. Boredom 27. Blame 28. Annoyance 29. Embarrassment 30. Blood Lust

Warnings: 27 is angsty, 30 is violent, and 29 is awkward

**Boredom**

The Dripping mud was about to drive Yoda truly crazy. Degoba may have been alive with the force signatures of animals and plants, but he was starved for sentient companionship. The occasional visit from Force ghosts of his old students couldn't quite fill that void. He'd tried everything to pass the time during his exile: juggling snakes, building slime castles, perfecting his 100 recipes for pond scum stew… nothing helped. Just as he was preparing to go inside and rearrange his furniture yet again, he heard a splash echo from his swamp. He grinned. Senile old hermit time, it was.

**Blame**

Anniversaries were hard. Asajj laid a small blossom on the spot where her master had perished: shot by an agent of Warlord Kirske. The warlords were all dead now, slain by her hand, and she ruled Rattatak. Still, she felt empty. If only she had seen the Weequay, she could have stopped him. It was her fault.

No. Ventress wiped her tears and set her teeth. It was the Jedi, those "saviors" who had left Ky Narec to rot on a hostile planet. She had a purpose now. She would make the Jedi pay. Then she would finally have peace.

**Annoyance**

Fatherhood was an honor and a blessing that Cut had never in his wildest dreams imagined could be his.

"Dad! Dad!"

That didn't mean it was always a bed of roses. Jek was entering his joke phase. Thus far his attempts were... dismal.

"Why did the monkey-lizard fall out of a tree?"

"I don't know, why?"

"Because it was dead! Why did the second monkey-lizard fall out of a tree?"

And so it continued for 27 monkey-lizards, until finally…

"Why did the 28th monkey-lizard fall out of a tree?"

"Because it was dead?"

"No." Jek rolled his eyes. "Peer Pressure."

**Embarrassment**

"Commander? Are you wounded?"

Ahsoka stared blankly at Kix. "What?"

"You're bleeding." He pointed at the back of her leg. She craned her neck to see, and felt her Lekku darken.

"Blast! It's nothing Kix, really."

"Sir, if you're bleeding that much, I need to take a look."

"No!" Ahsoka jumped back, holding up her arms defensively.

"Commander, come with me, please."

"Wait..." she sighed. "Let me explain." She grabbed Kix's arm and led him out of earshot. They spoke for a few minutes, and rejoined the men.

"Move out!" Ahsoka ordered. Kix didn't argue. His face was red.

**Blood Lust**

General Grievous's droid army had performed magnificently, cornering the Jedi inside a wrecked ship. Now it was time to stalk the prey himself. Grievous prowled, footsteps echoing, disguising his location. It was too much for one of the Jedi. He charged, screaming and waving his lightsaber. Grievous pounced, slicing the Padawan to pieces, claiming the saber and braid, and disappearing. He clung to the ship's ceiling, waiting for the Jedi to make another mistake. Endorphins thrummed through his vessels. He was high off the smell of blood and fear. Four Jedi drew near. He readied his stolen sabers and dropped.

Author's note: sorry for leaving you on that yucky note, but that's the order the prompts are in. Grievous was a pain in the butt to write, too. On a lighter note, I think Boredom is my favorite so far. I have a soft spot for crazy Yoda. And as for Embarrassment… yes, I went there. I don't imagine the Kaminoans would be very thorough on certain aspects of the clones' education, and even if they were, young men tend to forget about those sorts of things ;) Hope I didn't traumatize anyone.

See you guys next time.


	7. Chapter 7

31. Sorrow 32. Bliss 33. Disgust 34. Excitement 35. Bitterness

Note: I swapped 34 and 85 around, because excitement was right next to exhilaration and I felt like those were too similar to be back to back. 34 is actually adoration, if anyone is following along to do their own drabbles and would like to do the original order.

Warnings: 31 is sad. 35 is very sad, and has a boat-load of in-universe swearing. If you don't recognize a word, it's likely a curse. All but "stang" and "karking" are in Mando'a. If you're curious you can google Mando'a for the translation. They don't really matter to the plot, except to emphasize the fact that Cody is angry.

**Sorrow**

The monster sat obediently in Mother Talsin's shuttle. Inside its mind, Savage wept. He had submitted to keep his brother safe, and Ventress had tricked him. She'd twisted him with her magics, then ordered him to kill Feral with his bare hands. He could still see the terror in his brother's gentle eyes, feel the blood pound in his neck and fade to nothing as his life ebbed away. A green mist settled before Savage's eyes. His muddied brain told him there was nothing he could do, except serve the sisters. That way, Feral's death would not be in vain.

**Bliss**

If only all days could be like this. The last mission had gone off without a hitch: no dead and only a smattering of wounded. The newest recruits were settling in well, and Pierce had said Shadan's name without contempt for once. The Khil Jedi stretched happily on his meditation cushion, humming in his native tongue as he communed with the force. The dark side seemed so far away today. Even his most scarred men, Pierce and Hawkbat, shown a bright blue as he let his consciousness take stock of his ship. On days like this one, life was good.

**Disgust**

Ration bars. Nothing like greasy cylinders of compressed nutrients to make a clone long for the mess. Leech made a face as he swallowed, resisting the urge to spit.

"How can you eat that so fast?" he asked Angel. "It tastes and feels like osik!"

"And you'd know that how?" Angel retorted. "Besides, it's better than starving."

"If you say so," Leech muttered, holding his meal at arm's length. Then he grinned, licked the edge of his bar and stuck it to the back of Angel's head.

Angel thrashed him, and the sergeant gave them both demerits. Totally worth it.

**Excitement**

Korkie realized this was serious, but you had to admit, there was something thrilling about uncovering conspiracies. He felt like a spy: sneaking around and hacking the door to a government warehouse… well, ok. Soniee did the hacking, but he had led them. And boy did they find what they were looking for: mounds of food guarded by shady characters in cloaks. They'd been spotted and chased, but escaped, pumped up from their success. They were headed to his aunt Satine's now, ready to put Ahsoka's lessons into practice. He was proud to be doing his part to fight corruption.

**Bitterness (Double Drabble)**

_Stang, if these rebels weren't as bad as clankers. No overwhelming numbers, but they fought smart, and they fought dirty._ They were men and women who chose to turn traitor, sentient beings without honor. _That _rankled. Once in a while Cody would look into the eyes of an enemy and find a former friend. Rex was out there. A man who he once trusted with his life would now kill him without hesitation. And Cody would kill Rex too. It was what he deserved.

"Lieutenant!" Cody barked at one of the birth humans under his command. "Take your men down the center."

"But sir!" he protested. "The rebels will pick us off like flies!"

Cody got in the man's face. "I gave you an _order_, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir," the mongrel spat, and relayed his orders. Cody glowered as he ordered his brothers to attack the rebel flanks. What he wouldn't give for the good old days, with competent command and well-trained clones. None of these mixed blood aruetiise. But those days were gone, and Cody would fight for the Empire just as he had fought for the Republic. He just wished these karking di'kute would stay out of his way.

Author's Note: Shadan is an OC Jedi. You can find out more about the Khil on Wookieepedia. There's a short article on them. And Leech and Angel are 31 and 12 from "Terror," all grown up and a bit more in their element. Oh, and Osik means "poop," but a tad stronger. As for Cody :( He canonically gets old, bitter and racist under the empire. So sad. Oh, and if anyone who knows Mando'a better than I do notices conjugation problems, please let me know. I'm not completely confident with plurals.


	8. Chapter 8

36. Guilt 37. Envy 38. Horror 39. Sadness 40. Loathing

Warnings: This is a heavy set of drabbles. All but 37 are very sad and contain/mention death.

**Guilt**

Katooni stared numbly through the windows of the pirate ship at the smoldering ruins of the temple. Mere hours ago she had been laughing and training with her friends. Now they were all dead: confident Petro, sweet Ganodi, brilliant Zatt, gentle Byph… Only she and Gungi had survived, with a few of the tiniest younglings clutched in their arms. So many had died… but for some reason she'd lived, adopted by Hondo and his pirates. Why should she have a future while so many good people were gone from the universe? Katooni buried her face in her arms and wept.

**Envy**

"Well well. Looks like someone has a new skirt," Hardcase quipped when he found Fives strutting about in his ARC Trooper gear.

"Kama," Fives replied stiffly. Hardcase put on a serious expression.

"You look very pretty." Quickly, before Fives could respond, Hardcase unsnapped the kama belt. "Let me try it on."

"No!"

"Awww! Don't be selfish!"

"You're just jealous that I'm an ARC!"

"You're just jealous that I'd look prettier in that skirt than you!"

"Kama!"

Echo came around the corner, turned around, and kept right on walking. No way in haran was he getting in the middle of _that_.

**Horror**

The bronze skin below the soldier's helmet had made Rex's heart stop. It wasn't possible… The Umbarans were all pale… Then he bolted bareheaded into the battle and ripped the helmet off of an enemy, screaming desperately for his men to cease firing. There had been a moment's lag while their brains caught up to their eyes, then the battlefield went deathly still. Both sides stared uncomprehendingly into each other's faces. But Rex comprehended. He fell to his knees, wanting to scream and vomit but unable to do either. On his fingers, he saw the crimson blood of his brothers.

**Sadness (Double Drabble)**

There was a saying among warriors going into battle: "today is a good day to die." Those words rang hollow in Captain Keeli's ears as he left General Di and Cham Syndulla's war council. This was going to be a last stand, and it was his painful duty to inform the men and help them make their peace. That they were buying time for civilians and children was cold comfort. He was under no illusions that the promised aid would arrive in time. They would likely perish in the wilderness. And so many of his men were children themselves. The oldest had lived scarcely a decade, and the youngest still struggled with growing a full beard. Clever Poler with his jokes, kind Nash, who personally greeted every transfer, little Krebs who had blushed when a pretty Twi'lek gave him a peck for helping load her cart… none would live to see sunset. And his own tentative friendship with the general would never grow into the camaraderie he'd heard other clones had achieved with their Jedi.

Keeli bowed his head. He'd accepted that he and his brothers would perish in this war. But why did it have to come so soon?

**Loathing**

Tup pulled his helmet off. Something was wrong. He couldn't think straight. He shook his head and turned to face the enemy again. What he saw made his blood run cold, then catch fire. Jedi! Traitor to his Emperor! His face twisted into a feral snarl as he stumbled toward the scum, blaster ready. A voice in his head tried to call him back, to tell him there was some mistake, but he ignored it. He reached the freak of nature and it turned to look at him, confused. He raised his blaster to its temple and pulled the trigger.

Notes: I obviously didn't come up with the phrase "it is a good day to die." According to Wikipedia, it was a mistranslation of a Sioux battle cry. It was later made popular by the Klingons from Star Trek, which is where I know it from (Yay! I like both Star Wars and Star Trek! And I ended that sentence with a preposition! Colonel Jack O'Neill would be so ashamed of me! w00t Stargate!). Also, this marks the first time I've used a phonebook to come up with names. Also also, my fingers slipped while typing this note and I nearly wrote "karks" instead of "marks." Whoops. Ok. Hopefully that silly randomness eased some of the sting from these drabbles.


	9. Chapter 9

41. Compassion 42. Denial 43. Shock 44. Irritation 45. Revulsion

Warnings: Um… pretty tame set. 43 mentions a character death from the show. Some angst throughout.

**Compassion (Double Drabble)**

Few clones would dare approach Hawkbat when he was in one of his moods. Cred wasn't most clones. He was Hawkbat's second on Geonosis when their whole squad had been lost, he had glowed with pride when Hawkbat had been promoted to lieutenant, and he'd stayed by his side when Hawkbat's antisocial behavior had gotten him transferred to the 414th. He was certainly _not_ afraid of a little temper tantrum. Cred approached Hawkbat calmly, raising an eyebrow at the state of his punching bag.

"I think the poor fellow has had enough," He remarked in his polished Coruscanti accent. Hawkbat glared and continued pummeling the bag.

"Fifteen men, Cred," he said. "Fifteen good men lost on that mission. If I'd just gone in by myself I could have been out in under an hour. I'd have been the only one in danger. I would…"

"Have been disobeying the general's orders, sir." Hawkbat snarled and Cred put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Hawk. It wasn't your fault. Not now, and not then." Hawkbat slumped wearily. Cred put an arm around his shoulder, led him to a stack of mats, and sat with him until he could face the galaxy again.

**Denial**

King Dendup was overthrown. That wasn't a problem. General Tandin served Onderon, not any one man who might sit on her throne. And Rash was doing what was best for the planet. His pact with Dooku granted Onderon peace and security, so Tandin's personal feelings were of no consequence. Still, sometimes when he walked about the city and saw his people cringe in fear of the occupying droids, or when he looked into the eyes of the old king, imprisoned in the tower, he felt a moment of doubt. Tandin shook his head. Safety was worth the sacrifice… wasn't it?

**Shock**

Fives barely had time to mourn when Echo died. They were in the middle of battle, and he had to focus on getting the Jedi and Captain Tarkin to safety. Now that he was free to think he felt numb and drained: separate, like he had watched the explosion through someone else's eyes. He found himself wondering what Echo would think when he remembered that it was against regs to take risks like that without authorization. But Echo was gone. Fives wished he'd grabbed his brother's helmet from the battlefield. Perhaps it would have helped him grieve and move on.

**Irritation (Double Drabble)**

There were reasons Anakin had not applied for a Padawan, yet Obi-Wan had still thought it fitting to saddle him not just with a teenager, but a female teenager.

"Hey Skyguy, Watcha doing?" Anakin suppressed a groan as he pulled himself out from under his personal fighter. He found Ahsoka peering at him from a perch on one of the wings, doubtlessly scuffing the new paint.

"That's 'master' to you," Anakin retorted. "Get down from there."

"If you can call me Snips, I can call you Skyguy," Ahsoka huffed as she did a neat back flip off of the wing.

"I'm upgrading my fighter. Technical stuff. You wouldn't understand," Anakin said, hoping to rebuff her, but she would not be dissuaded.

"Teach away master." Sighing, Anakin motioned for her to join him under the fighter.

"Oh! I almost forgot! Rex said to give this to you!" Ahsoka passed him a ration bar. "He said a good Captain doesn't let his general starve himself." Anakin rolled his eyes and accepted the bar, chewing as he worked. Ahsoka watched him thoughtfully.

"You know, master? Rex is kind of cute."

That day marked the first of many lessons on first aid for choking.

**Revulsion**

Anakin's skin crawled at every touch. His jaw clenched with every glance. He didn't want to stay one instant longer with the filthy Zygerrian queen. Yet stay he must. What he had sworn would never happen again had happened anyway: he'd been enslaved. Not by superior force or cunning, but out of loyalty to his friends. One move out of line, and Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Rex and countless innocent slaves would suffer. So he bided his time until he could break out of this slime-pit, rescue his friends, and be rid of her foul stench forever. He would be free again.

Author's Note: Yes, two double-drabbles this time. I'm such a terrible cheater. Hawkbat and Cred are OC's, who belong to the same group as Shadan and Pierce. They are based on characters from other fandoms, so guess their secret identities if you can! Hawkbat has a sketch on my deviantart, as well as a more complete back-story. Also: I don't really ship Rexoka, but I imagine that Ashoka's comment in "Irritation" would be a pretty normal reaction for a 14 year old girl in that situation. And in case it wasn't clear, Anakin was the one choking in the end, on his ration bar. Poor guy wasn't expecting to have to deal with teenage girl hormones…


	10. Chapter 10

46. Anger 47. Fluster 48. Relief 49. Shyness 50. Stubbornness

Warnings: 46 includes a death that occurred in the series, with short description of the injuries sustained. 47 is about a non-consensual kiss.

**Anger**

Nahdar cradled Commander Fil's inert form in his arms. Shattered bone shifted beneath his fingertips: a farewell gift from Grievous' monstrous pet. The roggwart lay in a stinking heap now, but that gave Nahdar little comfort. It was only a dumb beast. Its master was the one to blame. Grievous had set the traps that had claimed his men one by one, culminating in the death of the man who had been by Nahdar's side since Geonosis. His only real friend.

"Grievous will pay for this," Nahdar vowed, clenching his fists. "I will destroy him."

_For you, Fil. My brother._

**Fluster**

The moment Lux Bonteri's lips had touched hers was not the magical moment Ahsoka had anticipated. She'd imagined it many times before: the gentle smile, the brush of his fingers on her cheek and then: fireworks. Instead she got his face mashed against hers, violently blocking the air from escaping her lungs. It wasn't without pleasure. For a moment, her stomach tingled with ecstasy and anticipation… then the moment passed, leaving her angry, confused and humiliated, and she shoved him away. Her face was hot and she felt miserable, unsure how something so good could have turned out so badly.

**Relief**

Gregor moaned. This afterlife was kriffing terrible. He felt like… well, like he'd had an entire shuttle port blow up in his face. Gregor peeled his eyes open to examine his surroundings and was surprised to find himself looking through his familiar HUD. His suit was pretty banged up and so was he, but both were intact and fixable. Apparently by dumb luck he had gotten himself wedged between some heavy metal crates that had absorbed the worst of the blast. Gregor ripped off his helmet, threw it into the air, and cackled like a man possessed. He was _alive_!

**Shyness**

Barriss hadn't spent much time with people her own age since the war started. She and her master had been needed in the fighting, and with forces stretched thin the chances of working with another Padawan were slim. Yet here she was, preparing to embark on a dangerous mission with Skywalker's Padawan, and Barriss couldn't think of anything to talk about. The other girl was intimidating to say the least. Though younger than Barriss, Ahsoka exhibited charisma and natural authority that Barriss could only dream of. Barriss sighed. She was sure Ahsoka thought her the dullest Padawan in the galaxy.

**Stubbornness (Double Drabble)**

"No Ahsoka."

"Oh come on, master! Be reasonable! We need three groups for Master Plo's plan to work!"

"Rex can lead the third group…"

"Rex doesn't need the practice!"

"Last time I let you lead a team on your own, I almost lost you."

"I've grown since then! I can do this! This isn't Geonosis we're talking about. It's just Felucia! What could happen?"

Both master and student paused, arms folded, glaring daggers at one another and refusing to budge. Passing clones hurried to escape their line of sight, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. Ahsoka finally unfolded her arms and sighed.

"You know the boys won't let anything hurt me. Master, I can _do_ this."

Anakin studied her for a moment and relaxed his posture. "I know you can, Snips." He ran his fingers over his scalp and sighed. "You can lead the third group."

Ahsoka squealed happily and hugged her master before skipping off, no doubt to tell Rex about her victory. Anakin felt a weight settle in his stomach as he watched her go. She may be competent, but she was still so young. But she was right. This was only Felucia. What could happen?

Author's Note: Whoo! Halfway done! Not much to say about this. I have nothing against Luxoka, but that stunt in the Deathwatch camp was definitely not an ideal way to get a first kiss. And in case you didn't catch it, "Stubbornness" takes place just before "Padawan Lost." And Gregor isn't allowed to die in that explosion. He's too cool :)


	11. Chapter 11

51. Abhorrence 52. Unease 53. Pity 54. Exasperation 55. Determination

Warnings: This is probably the most G rated chapter ever. Anakin's mentioned to be badly injured in 55. So terrible.

**Abhorrence**

The mighty Jabba did not like humanoids. At least not male ones. Their skin was dry, rough and constantly being shed all over, as was their disgusting "hair:" a thoroughly unnecessary protein secretion anyway. They were vile, ugly, foul-smelling lesser creatures fit only to serve at his pleasure. And the Jedi were the worst: arrogant because of the powers their midichlorians granted them, always acting above their station, throwing their insignificant weight around when they should be groveling in terror… But Jabba's son was missing, and the Jedi had skills, connections and an army. His Pedunkee Mufkin was worth it.

**Unease (Double Drabble)**

Ahsoka tried to calm herself with the force as she made her way to the docking bay where the _Wookiee Gunner _had been spotted. Nearly a month had passed since she'd left the Jedi Temple and she was dirty, smelly and had lost weight. Work was scarce for young ex-Jedi, particularly work that wasn't morally suspect and allowed her to pursue her own destiny away from the temple. Her plan was to find Master Altis and beg him to let her in. He almost certainly would, at least until she could find her feet. He was a kind-hearted man. But going to him still made her uncomfortable. Altisian Jedi had some strange ideas, and while their allowance for attachment, was rather attractive, others… The Altisians were very cerebral. They valued study and debate, and had little taste for battle. Ahsoka feared she would have trouble fitting in, and that their more outrageous beliefs would drive her away. She wanted to make things work with them, but Force knew few things had been going her way lately.

Ahsoka took a deep breath to steady herself. One thing at a time. She approached the door to the docking back and stepped inside.

**Pity**

As Vader and Luke walked down the halls of the new Death Star, Vader stretched out his senses to learn what his son was feeling. The results surprised him. He had expected anger, hatred, and defiance. He certainly would have felt that way in Luke's shoes. Instead, Luke felt… compassion. The boy was overflowing with love, courage and strength, much of it directed at his father, his enemy. For the first time in many years, Vader was reminded of himself as he had been: a strong young man who cared too deeply. And for a moment… one moment… Vader faltered.

**Exasperation (Double Drabble)**

Obi-Wan Kenobi cursed under his breath as he followed the tracer on the "borrowed" speeder deep into Coruscant's underbelly. Anakin should have known better than to visit the seediest parts of the planet alone. He was only eleven! When Obi-Wan got the boy back home, he'd have him scrubbing 'freshers for a month!

He found Anakin on a side street, sitting behind a small booth, and tinkering with what looked like an old Caf maker. As he watched, Anakin handed the machine to a man, who gave him some credits in return. Obi-Wan prepared to stride up to Anakin and order him back to the temple, but the Force warned him to wait. Instead he followed Anakin discreetly as he wound his way down several streets until he came to a low-income neighborhood. He knocked on one of the doors and it opened, revealing a thin woman cradling an infant. A woman who bore a striking resemblance to Shmi Skywalker.

Neither spoke a word, but Anakin handed her the credit pouch. She accepted it, smiled wanly and ruffled his hair before closing the door again. Obi-Wan shook his head as he approached Anakin, irritation fading. Perhaps the 'freshers could wait.

**Determination**

Rex studiously polished the DC-15A blaster rifle for the third time in as many hours. He glanced over his shoulder at the still form of Anakin Skywalker. The general had been badly wounded saving Ahsoka, General Secura, Rex and several brothers from an explosion, and Rex was grateful.

Rex heard rustling in the tall grass, and whipped his head around, scanning the area with his helmet beams. Nothing. He relaxed only slightly. Skywalker needed Rex to protect him right now, and after all he had done for the 501st, there was no way Rex was going to let him down.

Author's note: Sorry for the delay in updating. **Exasperation** gave me a lot of headaches before I finally stumbled upon an idea I liked. Also, I very nearly called Master Altis a kind-hearted ham. Silly fingers, why don't you type what I tell you?


	12. Chapter 12

56. Courage 57. Desperation 58. Playfulness 59. Fear 60. Uncertainty

Warnings: 56 is about order 66, so death and depressingness. 57 includes death. 59's a bit depressing.

**Courage (Double Drabble)**

The echo of clone trooper boots drew closer every moment. Katooni tried desperately to quiet the weeping child clutched in her arms. Petro called the group to a halt.

"We'll never escape them this way," he said, handing his charge to Katooni. "I'll hold them off as long as I can. The rest of you head for the platform.

"Petro, no!" Katooni cried. "We already lost Ganodi! We can't lose you too!"

Petro tried for one of his cocky smiles, but couldn't quite manage. "There is no death, Katooni. There is the Force." He put a hand on her cheek, then pulled away.

"You're not going to be able to hold off the clones alone. I'll stay too."

"No, Zatt. They need you to slice the doors."

"My observation stands."

There was a moment of silence, then Byph raised his hand. "I'll do it," he said in Ithorese.

"Byph?"

Byph moved to stand by Petro. "Go." And Katooni, Zatt and Gungi went.

At that moment the clones came around the corner. Petro and Byph ignited their lightsabers, and the clones opened fire. In the eerie light, the clones seemed monstrous. Byph wouldn't survive them. But he would stand firm nonetheless.

**Desperation (Double Drabble)**

Hardcase breathed harder than ever before. Facing death was terrifying. Racing headlong into death was much, much worse.

_"Ray shields! Hit the deck!" As soon as Fives had said those words, Hardcase knew they wouldn't all be getting out alive. But that didn't mean all three had to die. Fives had tried to stop him; had ordered him back to his ship. But Hardcase just grabbed a missile pod and kept running._

_"This is for the 501__st__! Don't wait for me!"_

_"Hardcase! No!" But his mind was made up. Jesse and Fives would live, but Hardcase… Hardcase would go out in a blaze of glory._

_"You've disobeyed enough orders today, sir. Obey this one: get outa here!"_

The reactor loomed in front of him. This was a stupid plan. He didn't want to get blown up. He was no biology expert, but he was pretty sure blowing up hurt. He sighed. Fleeing wasn't an option. Too many brothers' lives depended on him. He took a deep breath and heaved the missile into the reactor core. He turned to watch Jesse and Fives escape the ship.

"Live to fight another day, boys." He smiled. No regrets. "Live to fight another day."

**Playfulness**

The Jedi Temple was haunted. The older younglings said Tolman was crazy, but how else could you explain the ghostly creature who disappeared around corners?

Tolman was practicing drills when he heard a familiar chuckle. He whirled and found the creature watching him.

"Count you must! Hide I will!" Then it ran off, cackling. Tolman gaped, then started counting. He searched for twenty minutes. Nothing. Shaking his head, he turned to go and ran straight into a Nautolan girl.

"Whoa! Watch out!" She grinned as she steadied him, then winked conspiratorially. "And don't play hide-and-seek with Master Yoda. He cheats."

**Fear**

Greti wrung out a cloth and placed it on Bohle's forehead. She could feel the fever from the greensickness in her mam's crushed hand. The child knew that without medicine from the city, her mam would die.

Greti pulled the blanket over Bohle's shoulders. Teeba Sufi would take care of her, and Greti needed to mind the younger children. Still, she couldn't suppress a shiver of dread. Torbel had few enough workers in the mines already. With her mam down, how could they produce their damotite quota? No damotite meant no food. Without a miracle, Greti feared Torbel was doomed.

**Uncertainty (Double Drabble)**

Ince kept his bubbling excitement carefully under control. He and his brothers were on their first real mission, headed by none other than Commander Tano and the legendary Captain Rex. They couldn't afford to kriff this up, so he and his brothers fell back on their training. They sat straight and silent: the picture of professionalism.

"Gentlemen," Captain Rex broke the silence. "Show me some life signs before I resort to CPR…" Ince startled slightly, confused by the Captain's words.

"Receiving sir, just… waiting for orders." What else would they be doing?

"You can move, you know. And talk." Talk? Rookies weren't supposed to talk in front of superiors unless directly addressed. But the captain was waiting for a response.

"Yes, sir."

"Permission to engage in witty banter – in your own time, go on." Ince digested this bit of information. The captain seemed sincere. Ince knew his brothers wouldn't dare take the Captain up on his offer, so he decided to take the leap. If they turned out to be empty words… well, Ince had scrubbed floors and polished astromechs before.

"Witty banter commencing, sir… stand by."

Judging by the amused tilt of Captain Rex's helmet, Ince had chosen well.

Author's Note: I can't take credit for the dialogue in "Uncertaintly." It, as well as the character Ince, come from Karen Traviss's novel "Clone Wars: No Prisoners." I also can't take credit for the dialogue in "Desperation," but pretty much anyone who has seen the show should know that. Greti, Bohle and Teeba Sufi are from Karen Miller's Novel "Clone Wars Gambit: Siege," as is Damotite poisoning, greensickness, the busted hand… you get the idea.


	13. Chapter 13

Note: Make sure you've read chapter 12. I posted it soon after chapter 11, and I would hate for it to fall between the cracks because of that.

61. Malice 62. Nostalgia 63. Displeasure 64. Giddyness 65. Surprise

Warnings: 61 is kinda icky. 62 is depressing.

**Malice**

Barriss disconnected her comm. Her plan was working perfectly. Ahsoka was on the trail of the nano-droids with clone patrols hot on her heels. She would be caught, allowing Barriss to run free. She'd lay low for a while, before striking again through another string of patsies. Soon the corrupt, war-mongering Jedi Order would be nothing but ashes.

Barriss felt a brief flash of guilt for framing her friend, but she tamped it down. If you weren't part of the solution, you were part of the problem. Ahsoka was a Jedi, and all Jedi had to pay for their crimes.

**Nostalgia (Double Drabble)**

Jesse stared forlornly at the shuttered windows and deserted streets as his stormtrooper squad passed by.

"Remember when only the bad-guys were scared of us?" he whispered to Sage, the only other clone in the group.

"Yeah," Sage's voice sounded wistful. "A father took a holo of me with his kid one time. I don't think I've seen a kid for years. Parents keep 'em indoors when we're around."

"I got chocolates from a pretty Togruta once." Jesse sighed. "What are we doin' here, Sage?"

"I don't know anymore." Sage replied softly. Then he glanced sidelong at Jesse and said in a low voice: "We could leave…"

It was tempting. Oh, Force, it was tempting. But Jesse wasn't Rex. He couldn't just pick up and leave, chasing some ideal, abandoning what few brothers he had left.

"No. We can't."

Jesse rubbed the upper-left side of his helmet. The flesh underneath had once borne the symbol of the Republic. It was just a solid circle of ink now: an empty hole where once there had been hope. Perhaps one day that hope would return, but whenever it came, Jesse would not be there to help it along. He was truly lost.

**Displeasure**

"Are you certain Skywalker is ready for a student?" Master Windu frowned. Skywalker was barely a knight, and was brash, emotional and headstrong: hardly traits Windu wanted to see passed down to the next generation of Jedi.

"Ready for a student, no Jedi ever is." Yoda replied. "Will it, the Force does. Sense otherwise, do you?"

Windu's frown deepened. "No, Master Yoda. I do not."

Yoda's voice was serious. "Then trust me, you must. The Force: works in mysterious ways, it does."

Mace sighed. "I will defer to your experience, old friend. But I have a bad feeling about this."

**Giddyness**

Whiplash felt the familiar sensation of adrenaline coursing through his veins, but this time, it felt good. Just moments ago he and his Clone Youth Brigade had boarded the _Endurance_ for their tour. He had tried to be professional, but no amount of training could keep him from whispering excitedly to Hotshot when the group came face-to-face with two of the greatest generals in the Grand Army.

"That's General Skywalker! I hear he's the most powerful Jedi ever!" Hotshot just nodded, eyes shining. Whip smacked his back and grinned. This was going to be the best day ever, no question!

**Surprise (Double Drabble)**

"Outa the way, old-timer!" A gruff shiny shoved Homer roughly into a wall. While the shiny and his friend shared a chuckle, Homer took the opportunity to scan their ID's. The comlink in his helmet identified them as Jayt and Kash: transferred for repeated disorderly conduct charges. No special skills, so one of the general's charity cases. Homer couldn't blame him. Poor chakaars just turned nine.

"Now boys, that's no way to speak to your elders." Homer knew the moment the recruits noticed the commander's pips on his armor. There was a snap as they came to attention, and the aroma of fear sweat invaded his nostrils.

"S-sorry sir. We didn't realize…"

"What, that the blind man mopping the floor was an officer?" Homer stared them down, doing his best impression of his drill sergeant on Kamino. "Let me tell you something, rookies. In the 414th we help where we're needed, and we respect our brothers, regardless of rank or apparent ability, do I make myself clear?"

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

"_Dis_-missed!" Homer chuckled as the shinies saluted and scampered away like frightened squalls. They were decent enough boys, really. Give him some time and he'd make them into good men.

Author's note: Little shout-out to Impoeia. In one of her (?) reviews she mentioned wondering how Jesse felt about his tattoo after going through Umbara and the general nastiness of the war, and that gave me some of the inspiration for "Nostalgia." Also, let the record show that I have no issues with Mace Windu. I hope he didn't come across as too much of a jerk in his drabble. He's just very set in his ways. Homer, Jayt and Kash are my OC's, all three based off of characters from other stories. Homer is not based on Homer Simpson, so don't ask that, but feel free to guess if you would like. I will be thrilled if you do!


	14. Chapter 14

66. Endearment 67. Panic 68. Bereavement 69. Conflict 70. Wretchedness.

Warnings: 67 and 68 are about death. 70 briefly mentions dealing with lice by shaving uncomfortable places.

**Endearment**

"Little 'un."

"Rexter."

"Kid."

"Rex ol' boy."

The terms had originated as a matter of convenience. Rex couldn't quite bring himself to call the gangly Padawan "sir," and as for Ahsoka, she nicknamed everyone, whether they wanted it or not. But as they worked together and grew more comfortable with their relationship as Captain and Commander, the names became something more. They were a beacon of normalcy amid the insanity of war, a moment's respite from the hierarchy of the army. But most of all, they represented friendship: so much more than that of subordinate and superior. They were vode.

**Panic**

Fear. That's what Ahsoka felt all around. Terror. Not from the injury. She'd been shot before. It was much worse. She'd lost many comrades in battle over the years, but never before had one literally slipped through her fingers.

Steela had been so close to the edge, to life. But one blaster bolt had changed that: broken Ahsoka's concentration and sent the girl falling to her death. Ahsoka had desperately reached for her as soon as she had recovered, but it was too late. The terror faded now to grief, and the moment would stay etched in Ahsoka's memory forever.

**Bereavement**

Rex could hardly stand when the HAZMAT teams finally arrived to rescue the Blue Shadow survivors, but he refused to lie down. He needed to do one final check. To catalogue who had lived and who had died. As Rex noted each still face, he felt a small ember of pride. These men had died well. But he also felt a profound sense of loss. The men would never return home to their brothers.

With one last look around the lab, Rex sank onto a stretcher and allowed himself to be carried home, his brothers living on in his memory.

**Conflict**

Tup stirred his caf idly as he sat in the mess. He had a lot on his mind. The new general was… unusual. Dogma was probably right. The General must know what he was doing. After all, Jedi were much wiser than clones. But when Tup heard ARC Fives and his friends complaining about the tactics and casualties, Tup couldn't help but think that they were right.

Tup stood, decision made. He'd just keep his mouth shut and keep going. He was only a trooper, after all. It wasn't his place to meddle in the affairs of ARCs and generals.

**Wretchedness (Double Drabble)**

CT-19-2491 shivered as he stood at attention in line, waiting to be shorn like a nerf. The flimsiplast smock did little to block the chilly Kaminoan air, but it also didn't offer the lice refuge. He itched like crazy, but he had orders to stand still and not scratch, so that was exactly what he would do. He must have made some sign, however, because the boy behind him noticed.

"You Ok?" He asked.

"Don't want to lose my hair."

"We're lucky," the boy said. "We're still young. Some of the older clones were scrubbed and shaved from head to toe." 91 shuddered. The insecticidal shampoo burned badly enough on his scalp. He didn't want to imagine how it would feel in more sensitive areas.

"I don't want to be different." 91 explained.

"Different's not so bad," the boy replied easily. "I'm sadder about the lice. They were kinda interesting."

91 snorted in disbelief, but he decided he liked this cadet. He reached his hand back and extended his fingers to the other boy. "I'm 91."

"Taggart." The boy's voice smiled as he touched 91's fingers surreptitiously, so the Kaminoans wouldn't notice, and the two friends waited together in silence.

Author's Note: I liiiiiive! It's been over a month and a half since I last published, and I'm sorry for that. Job hunting, a very nasty cold, and general writer's block played havoc with this set of drabbles, but I'm hoping to keep posting regularly from now until I finish *fingers crossed*. 91 and Taggart are both OC's of mine (This is not the Taggart who's in the Senate Guard in "A Friend In Need"). 91 was invented specifically for this drabble, but Taggart is a member of the 414th under general Shadan Aquil. He's based on a somewhat more obscure character, and this drabble doesn't reveal much of his personality, so I'd be amazed if you managed to guess who he's based off of. He will be showing up again, giving you a slightly more obvious description of his personality.


End file.
